Protective package for tools having blades



Dec. 11, 1962 3,067,866

R. A. BURTON PROTECTIVE PACKAGE FOR TOOLS HAVING BLADES Filed Nov. 15, 1961 INVENTOR 28 RUSSELL A. BURTON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,067,866 PROTECTIVE PACKAGE FOR TOOLS HAVING BLADES Russell A. Burton, Sturbridge, Mass, assignor to Hyde Manufacturing Company, Southbridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Nov. 13, 1961, Scr. No. 151,640 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) This invention relates to a new and improved protective package particularly adapted for tools having blades with edges such as for instance putty knife scrapers and similar scrapers and tools, and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of a relatively simple folded sheath-like protective package which is adapted to be secured on the blade of the putty knife or other tool substantially covering the edge thereof and protecting the same against damage, particularly while such tool is arranged in a bin for display, as for instance in a retail store, and also embodying means for hanging the same on a wall rack or the like if this should be desired; and the provision of a protective package of the class described which is provided with means by which it is secured to the tool and particularly to the blade for the tool in substantially fixed immovable relationship with respect thereto, covering the edge of the blade or at least a substantial portion thereof, as well as the surfaces of the blade.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a protective package of the class described which is essentially composed of a relatively elongated piece of paper, cardboard, etc., folded on itself centrally forming two hinged leaves, and having opposite free ends cut or notched out on both leaves of the folded package to receive and relatively closely engage the sides of the handle to which the blade of the tool is attached, so that the package cannot move to prevent lateral shifting of the folded member relative to the blade, and also including a fastener extending through both leaves of the package and embracing the blade closely adjacent the handle, preventing relative motion of the protective package in a longitudinal direction with respect to the handle and the blade, whereby it will be seen that the new and improved protective package is substantially fixed with respect to the blade and continues to protect the same until removed for use.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view, parts being broken away and in section;

FIG. 2 is an edge view, looking in the direction of arrow 2 in FIG. 1, parts being broken away;

FIG. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view, parts being broken away, and

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the protective package prior to folding and application to the tool.

This invention has been herein illustrated as applied to a putty knife having a relatively wide scraping blade. The handle of the tool is indicated at 10 and is provided with a relatively wide blade 12 having a scraping edge or the like at 14. Ordinarily tools of this class are racked by means of the hanger hole 16 or they are merely arranged in generally helter-skelter relation in a box or a bin for retail sale. When so arranged, however, they become nicked and the operating edges as at 14 are apt to become damaged and dulled, and it is a particular object of the present invention to provide for protection of the blade and the tool and the edge thereof by a very simple and inexpensive but effective means.

The novel protective package essentially comprises an elongated piece of cardboard or the like material which is centrally folded over on itself. This forms two joined leaves which are indicated at 18 and 20, these being connected by the central fold at 22. Another hanger hole at 24 may be utilized if desired and openings such as illustrated at 26 may be provided to show trademarks, trade designations, etc.

The two leaves 18 and 20 are notched out at corresponding ends thereof on lines which are generally indicated by the reference numeral 28, 28. This notch is to accommodate the areas of the handle 10. (see FIG. 1) which are located closely adjacent the blade, the blade extending directly from the end of the handle which is indicated at 30. Y

.1 The two leaves 18 and 20 are folded over the blade 12 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, forming a kind of sandwich, with the blade 12 disposed in protected relation in the middle, but it is pointed out that the lines 28, 28 terminate at a line 32 at the bottom of the respective notch (see FIG. 5). The cut-out lines at 28,28 embrace the sides of the handle adjacent the end 30 thereof as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, and the straight bottom lines 32, 32 of the cut-out notches generally abut the edge of the handle at 30, one at either side of the blade 12. The folded-over cardboard envelope, however, is so proportioned that the fold at 22 is well spaced from the operating edge 14 of the blade 12,- leaving the hanger hole 24 completely free and unimpeded, and also the operating edge 14 of the blade 12 does not contact the fold 22. It will be seen that the cut-out edges at 28, 28 and 32 position the cardboard package relative 'to the handle 10 and prevent any lateral motion.

However, the invention also contemplates means for securing the free ends of the leaves 18 and 20 together to form it into a compact package, and this comprises a fastener generally indicated at 34. This fastener can take the form of a relatively large paper-clip or staple, and as shown in FIG. 3, it comprises a main top run 36, a pair of right-angled ends 38 which penetrate the cardboard package in both leaves thereof at 18 and 20, and it has inturned feet 40, 40 which extend under the opposite side of the package from the entry points of the legs 38.

The legs 38 are spaced apart so as to substantially correspond to and engage the edge of the blade adjacent the end of the handle at 30, this relationship perhaps best being shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Therefore besides closely holding the leaves 18 and 20 together at the free ends thereof, the fastener 34 also holds the package to the tool at a very narrow waist portion thereof which is exemplified by the junction of the blade 12 with the handle portion at 30 and this is the narrowest part of the tool from end-to-end thereof.

By utilizing the inexpensive fastener or staple 34 in the manner shown and described at the waist portion of the tool, the entire protective envelope or package is very closely held to the tool and prevents any shifting thereof in any direction so that it will be seen that the very simple and inexpensive package described is adequately held to the tool in fixed relationship thereto, protecting the same at all times until removed for use. It is also to be understood that the scraper blade 12 shown herein is especially wide and that putty knives and other scrapers are provided with relatively narrower blades as is well known in the art, which blades may lie fully within the confines of the edge portions of the protective package. The illustration of the present case as to blade 12 is an extreme condition wherein the edges of the blade may extend slightly outwardly from the lateral edges of the protective package.

Thus it will be seen that the blade and its edge are adequately but very inexpensively protected by a package that can be imprinted; the fold of the package is held spaced from the edge of the blade; and the tools can be racked by the hanger holes at either end of the combined tool and package. The package is very easily and quickly applied to the tool, and very little cost is added to the bare tool with its consequent damage.

The invention may be applied to different kinds of tools in addition to that shown such as putty knives, scrapers, staplers, dry wall joint knives and similar tools. Also, instead of utilizing the staple 34, the invention may be carried out by utilizing glue, paste or pressure-sensitive adhesives, etc.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but What I claim is:

1. The combination of a tool and a protective package therefor, said tool being in the nature of a putty knife including a handle and an edged fiat blade extending from the handle, the point of juncture of the blade and the handle providing a waist portion for said tool intermediate the ends of the tool, With a package member comprising an elongated blank transversely folded forming a pair of superposed leaves longer than said blade, there being aligned open-ended notches in the free ends of said leaves, said notches providing edges located at either side of the handle adjacent the junction thereof with the blade, and separate means securing said leaves together at said waist portion of said tool, said means embracing the tool at the waist portion thereof and holding the tool to the leaves.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said leaf-securing means comprises a staple having a main body portion applied to one of said leaves at one side of the flat blade and including legs extending through both leaves, the legs terminating in feet turned under the other leaf and the blade at the opposite side of the blade.

3. The combination of a tool and a protective package as recited in claim 1 wherein said leaf-securing means is located at the inner ends of the notches adjacent to the terminal portion of the handle adjacent the blade.

4. A protective package for a tool having a generally fiat blade With a handle attached thereto, said package comprising a relatively elongated blank folded generally centrally on a transverse line forming a pair of leaves connected by a fold, said leaves being in general superposed relationship and having free ends opposite the folds, means forming an open-ended notch in each leaf at the free end thereof, said open-ended notches having their edges in close proximity relative to each other, the blade of the tool being disposed between the leaves and extending toward the fold, the handle being received in the notches and being located by the edges of the notches, said handle extending out beyond the free ends of the leaves, the blade and the handle together providing at the junction thereof a narrowed waist portion which is narrower than the width of the leaves, and means securing the two leaves to the tool in a relatively fixed position thereof adjacent the inner ends of the notches, said securing means extending through both of said leaves and closely embracing said tool at the Waist portion thereof.

5. The protective package recited in claim 4 wherein said securing means comprises a member having a body on one leaf at one side of the blade and including legs penetrating both of said leaves at either side of the blade of the tool, said legs having terminal portions extending under the other of said leaves and under the blade at the opposite side thereof.

Tate Sept. 29, 1942 Allen Apr. 11, 1961 

